Above are 15 options, with the Alpha selections arranged by how they came out in the last Primary Camera survey (Jan 2017) with the exception of the a7 entries which are divided differently to last time and the addition with them of the a9, as that seemed a sensible place to put it.

Please indicate which group of those shown above is appropriate for your backup camera or cameras (a backup camera being one you shoot with regularly, but which is not your primary/main camera).

Note that available space on the line for options limits the descriptions that can be put down: because of this I have used ranges of model numbers where a complete list would not fit and where I say NEX3 or NEX5, I am including all the lettered variants.

Sometimes the dividing lines between categories can be a bit indistinct – as with last year, I have made the division on type (DSLR, SLT or ICLE), size of sensor, whether the camera is ‘Premium’ or not (no criticism intended of non-premium cameras - some of our best photographers use them) and for the a7 variants, what generation they belong in. I think I have most models covered in the descriptions, but if I have missed your camera out, please add it to the category that seems most appropriate and let us know the details in a posting. So:

if you get one of the (just announced) a7iii cameras or a (currently hypothetical) a7Siii to use as a backup, it should go in the "3rd gen full frame ICLE" categoryandif you want to put that RD-175 down as a backup camera, it would probably fit best with the 5D/a100-a580 category as it was a sub-frame SLR based on a mid-range analogue body while the RD-3000 should probably go in as a Non-Alpha DSLR (but where you actually put any of these is up to you).

If you choose one of the bottom three options, please share some details in a posting - It would be interesting to see what other cameras Dyxum members use in addition to their Alpha kit.

Note that you can vote more than once in this poll-but please just include cameras you use on a regular basis, rather than every camera you own

This is part of a survey we run every once in a while to check on what the membership's cameras of choice are.

Another poll is open to let you specify your primary camera (you can only vote once in that one).

My backup cameras are the A850 (playing 2nd fiddle since I got an A7) and for traveling lighter or using my UWA zoom (E10-18/4) the A6000 and NEX6 also get a fair bit of use (so those got my votes above)

I also still have an A700, KM5D and NEX5 which only get used very occasionally and mainly for nostalgic reasons.

I also use Olympus m43, in particular for lightweight travel, and also for discreet street. My wife is more tolerant of me bringing the Pen on vacation than the bulkier A77ii. And when even the Olympus is too big, I have a Panasonic LX100.

Originally the m43 was purchased with an insurance payout on my A-mount gear that was burgled from my house while I was away on vacation - the thought being that the smaller m43 equipment would be allowed on vacation when the A-mount was not. At that time the E-mount was too immature to be considered. Of course, over time, A-mount cameras and lenses snuck back into the house and have reclaimed principal camera status.

My main backup camera is an A900, which may seem odd as backup to an A58, but I find the A58 does more things better more of the time than the A900 so it gets used a lot more. In fact, since getting the A900 recently, I've been very surprised how many things it lacks that the A58 has.

However I also use a Canon S100 as a backup camera, as it is a very small neat pocket camera with full manual controls, and is nowhere near as fiddly and toy-like as the Sony RX100. I also use some of the film cameras occasionally, particularly the 600si and Dynax-5.

My a65 is my primary camera both in click counts and time in my hands, I mostly use it for macro and always click it at 2 or 3 shots per shutter release. I used the shutter actuation count tool on it a few weeks ago and it's at ... 95k!

For wildlife I use an a580 (mostly on a Tamron 150-600 and with 2-3 shot bursts) versus for Day Prime fun an a7 (mostly single shot and with almost any kind of optics I can adapt or jerryrig onto it).

My main backup camera is an A900, which may seem odd as backup to an A58, but I find the A58 does more things better more of the time than the A900 so it gets used a lot more. In fact, since getting the A900 recently, I've been very surprised how many things it lacks that the A58 has.

However I also use a Canon S100 as a backup camera, as it is a very small neat pocket camera with full manual controls, and is nowhere near as fiddly and toy-like as the Sony RX100. I also use some of the film cameras occasionally, particularly the 600si and Dynax-5.

Before I bought A99, I had got same situation as yours with my A57 and A900. I only paired A900 with Minolta 20mm, later with 17-35G for wide angle view. Other things were mostly done by A57. Currently, my A99 makes them all backups. But A57 gives me crop distance reach & light weight for casual travel and A900 gives me OVF, colour & film-style feelings which A99 doesn't have.

Yes, I can identify with that. It does make a very good DSLR partner for film SLRs. Bt I@m not sure the amount I use it justifies the cash locked up in it at the moment, so I'm reluctantly putting it up for sale.

Yes, I can identify with that. It does make a very good DSLR partner for film SLRs. But I'm not sure the amount I use it justifies the cash locked up in it at the moment, so I'm reluctantly putting it up for sale.

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